Wondering Linkly | More Tree Rings, Less Texting Guys

Hey! Yeah, hey there, it’s me! So I’ve been hobnobbing about at school yet again, and I took a fascinating class fusing cultural studies and travel writing, all to take a look at Disneyland and the Disney films! As you can imagine, this course really got my wheels turning, but we can’t allow the greatest curiosities to all be handed to us now can we?

So here’s almost a ~January Favorites~ style roster of things that had me Wondering Lately. 😉

I watched a video of Tim Keller, John Piper and D.A. Carson talking about “getting more rings in your tree” as a pastor—influences, wisdom that has been refined through experience and study. In the chat, Don Carson mentioned how impactful an older mentor was, one who specifically taught him to pray. He passes on practical tips for pillars of discipline in a Christian’s prayer life in 8 Lessons from the School of Prayer. You can read more in his book, Praying with Paul!

We all know that living for ourselves decays the soul and digs a hole deeper than we can see the way out of. This article from The Gospel Coalition gives a really unique illustration of what goes on with the highs and lows of this lifestyle.

Most headlines have been disappointingly using the hook: “What?? Kendall Jenner is a WSJ Columnist now??” Whatever. The Wall Street Journal put out this collection of thoughts on youth from Jenner, Goldie, Tim Howard and others.

Speaking of growing up and shaping up, here’s an article from Teen Vogue about the lessons your first full-time job brings.

I’m taking FOREVER to finish The Reason for God by Keller, mentioned above, and part of the reason is because of how useful and enjoyable it is. But when room in my brain and time in my schedule opens vacancy for a new book, I’m set on Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan. It’s surprising how much of the book is available to read right on the Amazon page, and if you’re anything like me (dorky and food-loving…) it’ll have you in stitches.

“Why I’m Not Going to Text Guys Anymore” sounds like a bra-burning rant, but it’s a pretty nice case for why we should push ourselves to make real phone calls and follow through on making plans face-to-face. It comes from a dating standpoint, but I think it applies on a friendship level as well.

Sorry if this post’s title made you think I’m somehow exciting in my love life. (This is probably the most exciting offering I can give you in that respect. Mathematician and complexity scientist Dr. Hannah Fry is a real smartie and gosh her accent is great.) 😂

Speaking of following through on new plans, I’m excited to see someone in a few weeks who feels like an old friend even though I’ve seen her in person about 3 times. Your 20s are AWESOME! Yes I’m actively enjoying the time I’m in right now. And by right now, I literally mean this second.

Praise God for the limitations on our hearts and brains to be unable to truly hold onto EVERYTHING that overwhelms us with pain or with joy at once. I’ve been excited about just the amount of spiritual bonding He’s allowed for me and my roommate, one of my best friends in the last week.

I’ve mentioned a lot lately how glad I am for the very human restart of the new year and its resolutions/refreshment. Hayley and I talked about having a word as a goal for a year. She mentioned friends who have chosen I think “brave” and definitely “sexy” (Neither of us chose that 😂), so then we talked about a verse! This is no new concept, but it’s one I’m excited to implement with Mark 5:28: For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” Inspired by a lettering post from illustrator/calligrapher Sarah Kim, where she wrote,

“What does your faith look like?”

“When you give everything to God, it will not return void. He gives back 100%. Not 80%, not 60%—100%.” Taking the jump off that advice given to me last year, this is what I want mine to look and feel like.

Grateful for innumerable second chances, and for 2015 as an investment of faith. (Not so) Coincidentally, my friend who preaches at our campus Bible study chose the Gospel of Mark for our study this coming semester! Excited. Happy February.

Here’s verses 21-34 for context:

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”24 And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years,26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?”31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say,‘Who touched me?’”32 And he looked around to see who had done it.33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”